


although it's been said many times, many ways

by pistolgrip



Series: 12+1 days of siesixmas [7]
Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:48:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21868519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pistolgrip/pseuds/pistolgrip
Summary: Of all of the festivities that Siete plans for the Eternals this month, the one that Six regrets participating in is their Secret Santa.
Relationships: Siete | Seofon/Six | Seox (Granblue Fantasy)
Series: 12+1 days of siesixmas [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1570165
Comments: 19
Kudos: 40





	although it's been said many times, many ways

**Author's Note:**

> okay listen. i know all of siesixmas is very self-indulgent. but this might be the most embarrassing one of them all. please enjoy

Why Six agreed upon participating with _this_ event of the Eternals' festivities, he doesn't know, but the consequences came for him sooner than he expected.

He must have been the last of them to accept, because not a day later, Siete made plans to get everyone in the same room for five minutes of their day for Secret Santa assignments the "old-fashioned way".

With all of them sitting in a circle, Six is the first one to pick names after Siete, and he's never been more glad to have a mask covering his face than now, when he unfolds the paper and Siete's name looks back at him, looped and majestic and sloppily written. His nose scrunches as he folds it back up; the window in which he could lie and say that he drew his own name has already passed. Fif's taken the hat with everyone's names in it, thrusting her hand around into the set of names.

Six is too busy regretting his decision to gauge everyone's reactions. The hat returns to Siete's hands, and he announces that the gift exchange will take place five days before Christmas day itself, the last conceivable day that he could have all of the Eternals in one place.

When Siete dismisses them, Six feels like he's walking into a battle he can't win.

* * *

Some get started as soon as they can, either because of the excitement or because they want to get it out of the way before the holiday season dumps more incidents onto their workload. However, most keep quiet, both about their recipients and their plans to buy gifts, and it's to that which Six attributes to the reason he's forgotten about it until there's only one week until their gift exchange.

So preoccupied with avoiding the festivities by taking extra missions does he forget how important this event is for Siete. Out of the ten of them, Siete's the most excited for the season overall. Fif loves the gifts and the thrill of hunting Santa every year, Song loves the company, and Sarasa loves the food, but Siete loves everything the season has to give, putting in his best effort to pass forward the cheer for everyone around him.

He tries to remind himself he's _annoyed_ with the amount of joy that the leader of the Eternals seems hellbent on bringing to them. Six cares little for what Christmas means, nor does he care much for its celebrations. He decides that he doesn't care much for Siete either when he examines the swirl of emotions that always settles in his gut when he thinks about the man. All Six feels when observing the holidays, especially when orchestrated by _Siete_ , is annoyance: the decorations in the base (most of which were put up by Siete), the pressure of knowing that the others have each other's gifts prepared, the expectation that he'll participate, and how much Siete would whine if Six didn't get him anything.

But at the same time, he knows there's genuine warmth underneath each of his exaggerated smiles whenever the Eternals entertain his holiday antics, and it sets the stage for the next image his mind conjures for him—of the look on Siete's face when not only has Six not participated, but that it was _Siete_ for whom he forgot to get a gift. Six even overheard Song asking Okto before their mission yesterday whether he'd gotten his gift, to which he'd responded in the affirmative. Six runs the real risk of being the only one that hasn't participated in their Secret Santa.

His mind wanders. Siete would whine, keeping his tone light while everyone around them received gifts, and then Six would later catch him moping around in the snow. Six would ask him what was wrong, and with an annoying grin, he would insist that everything was perfect, so as long as the other Eternals enjoyed themselves.

He shakes his head from side to side, trying to banish the thought. Like a lost puppy—like the lost puppy Siete likes to play—the thought yaps at his heels as he makes his way to Uno's door. He knocks harder than necessary, trying to drown the image of Siete's forced smile.

Uno opens the door, half-dressed in his Santa outfit, returning from one of the annual plays he's been helping with as of late. He doesn't mince words. "Six, you seem troubled."

Before he starts, he checks to see if the halls are empty. "May I enter? I need…" Apprehension stops his words. "Advice."

"Of course. However I can help, I will," Uno says, stepping aside. His tone is compassionate, and Six feels embarrassed that Uno is willing to offer his energy to give advice for something so trivial. He only moves far enough into Uno's room to close the door, crossing his arms and turning his head away.

Every sentence he forms sounds more laughable than the one before. Six sighs, his upper lip curling with displeasure, ears twitching. "Regarding my Secret Santa assignment."

Uno's eyes sparkle, his moustache twitching with a smile. Six remembers that he's talking to a man half-dressed in a Santa outfit that makes it a habit to bring both cheer and practical gifts to other orphans during the holiday season. "Are you having difficulties finding a present?"

"Yes. I've..." He struggles to admit it to anyone, afraid that the knot of anxiety in his gut will spiral outwards until he's telling Uno all about the strained smile he's been imagining on Siete's face, how he calls it _annoying_ but a part of him is screaming to call these feelings something else. "It is upon me to find a present for Siete."

Unaware of Six's mental turmoil, or perhaps just used to his apprehension, Uno smiles. "He _can_ be difficult to find a present for."

The energy drains from his body. "If _you_ say this about Siete, then I have no confidence."

"That's simply a fact," Uno agrees, "but you understand as well as I that he seeks the simpler things in life."

Six raises an eyebrow. "As simple as gathering the most powerful people in the skies, creating a guild with them, and _thanklessly_ maintaining peace from shadows?"

"Aside from that." Despite the effort Uno is putting into giving Six some sort of comfort, his smile doesn't placate him as much he would hope. Quite the opposite—Six feels _more_ nervous that Uno is teasing an obvious solution that Six can't see. "He's only ever wanted one thing from us."

Underneath the mask, Six frowns. While he doesn't know yet how Uno expects him to connect this knowledge with the problem of getting Siete a gift, he _does_ know what Uno's talking about without asking for clarification.

Siete _trusts_ the Eternals for many things: a passable work ethic, strong morals, and their strength. The one thing he _asks_ for and doesn't receive is their spare time, company, being an option for each other.

It doesn't solve his problem. It's the vaguest start possible, but it's better than when he first considered asking Uno for advice. "Thank you," he mutters, already lost in thought.

When he looks back up, he thinks he sees surprise pass over Uno's face for just a brief second—but he blinks, and it's gone. "Will it be a surprise to me as well what you're planning?"

"I have no plans yet." He has no reason to withhold the truth from him. "But with a starting point, the rest shall follow."

* * *

Not more than a second later, Six realizes he was too optimistic. That starting point opened up too many avenues, none of which were relevant to the task at hand.

He should have engaged Uno further. The confidence he had evaporated the second he stepped back outside into the decorated halls, void of life. The winter feels colder when he sits back in his own room, undecorated but with the flickering Christmas lights seeping underneath his door, as he takes out paper and ink and begins drafting a short letter that could stand as a Christmas card.

_Siete._

_For the holiday season,_

He pauses, staring at what he's written, considering the rest of what he has planned and feeling frustration trickle up his spine. He goes to scrap the paper, but pushes it off to the side instead, crossing his arms and staring at his wall.

It should be easier to find something for Siete, _anything_ , but everything he comes up with feels more and more desperate until he's about to give up.

In an attempt to do anything but continue writing the letter he's drafted for Siete, he reflects on the past year the Eternals have spent together, but it turns out to be more difficult than anticipated. Reflecting on the year is something that he only started doing once he left the Karm hamlet, once his surroundings would change, and every year brought him a new set of changes that he could never quite get used to.

The most significant event for the Eternals this year was that now, all of them have faced their Revenant Weapons—their journey together is still rocky, but more than before, they've began seeking out each other's company. Like Siete's smiles during the holiday season, he always has an underlying pride whenever the Eternals allude to their trials, joking about how much of a hand Siete had in bringing them together.

He thinks again of Siete, out in the snow, with the cape of his uniform and their crest against his back. He thinks again of revealing that he didn't get him a present, and then the forced smile Siete would give as he said, _As long as you guys had a good Christmas, then that's enough for me._

With the feelings stirring in his heart, Six realizes what it is he can do.

* * *

The things taught to Six as part of his upbringing have never left him. In all his years alone at Karm, he maintained the most important traits of the clan out of a sick sense of obligation, despite his reluctance to do so: stealth, speed, efficiency. (He chooses not to think about the hard skills he doesn't want to be the last remaining vessel for: unusual poisons, assassination techniques, torture.)

He uses those skills in missions, but today he uses what he can at the base to infiltrate Siete's room. His door is only locked when he's gone for missions, and the locks for their personal quarters serve to signal for privacy rather than deter anyone hellbent on entering. Six could break into any of their rooms blindfolded.

The tumblers within the lock click in place, and as he turns the doorknob, a cough shatters the air behind him.

He turns to find Quatre leaving his own room, paused in the doorway, raising an eyebrow at him. "The fuck do you think you're doing?" His attempt to sound abrasive is overwhelmed by the intrigue in his voice.

"Preparing Siete's present for Secret Santa," Six answers, and he turns away to continue his advance.

Unsurprisingly, Quatre follows behind him. "Your present is invading his privacy?" he asks, uncaring that he's doing the same thing.

Six, for lack of a better option to clear his name, tells him about his plan.

It surprises Quatre, different from the nose-scrunched, mildly disgusted way he normally is toward Six. "Wow," he murmurs so quietly that Six can't tell if he's being sarcastic. "I didn't think _you_ could come up with something that would make him cry, but look at you go."

Six frowns. His confidence evaporates again. "Cry?"

"It's a good thing. Let's do this," Quatre says while pushing him aside, a smirk stretching from ear to ear.

* * *

Like Quatre, the other Eternals are surprised by his suggestion, but none turn him down when he shows up to their doors. Some of them ask why he hasn't written anything yet, and he tells them the truth—that he needs that time to think about his own message.

In the end, his eyes scanning the rest of the Eternals' messages for blank space he can write in, he finds that he doesn't have much to add. He looks at what the rest of the Eternals have written—gratitude, insults as terms of endearment, reassurances—and then he writes, _Hmph._

It's all he has space for. Besides, he still has that damned letter to attach to the present.

* * *

Their Secret Santa is five days before Christmas, but with the base's ambient Christmas songs from their record player and the smell of gingerbread cookies making a home in every corner, it feels like the day proper has arrived. Uno is in his Santa outfit, Siete dressed as his helper, and both usher everyone together.

Six hated the part where they reveal their assignments in theory, and he hates it now. It would have been more efficient to leave them under the tree to find instead of wasting time and energy doing it this way, but Six seems to be the only one that minds.

Once everyone's together, Siete starts the chain of gift-giving, handing a package to Sarasa and grinning. Sarasa gives one to Okto, who gives one to Esser, the circle continuing until Fif, bouncing with excitement, gives one to him. He hesitates before he takes it from her hands, unsure why he's surprised by the action. The nature of Secret Santa meant that he'd receive a present, but he didn't anticipate his Secret Santa being quite so enthusiastic about giving _him_ , of all people, a present.

"Merry Christmas, Six!" she says, pleased with herself and sitting back down once confirming that Six is holding onto it.

He mumbles, "Merry Christmas," taking the moment to inspect it. It's light, almost like the package he's prepared for Siete, but with enough layers that he can't discern its shape underneath the wrapping.

From beside him, Siete coughs. Startled, he puts his own package down to scramble for Siete's, and he hesitates again when he finds an odd smile on his face, like he knows something that Six doesn't. "What's with your face?"

"What? I was born like this." Siete's eyes wane into crescents with his smile, and Six feels like he recognizes Siete less. "I'm just waiting for my present, Six, you're really leaving me hanging."

Huffing out of his nose, he puts it in Siete's hands and mumbles a greeting, wishing he had the safety of his entire mask. For a moment, when he can bear to look, Siete's expression flickers with surprise. Siete's look of awe mirrors his from just moments ago, and then it's gone.

"Alright!" Siete's back to normal, the strange smile replaced with mischievous mirth. "Let's open these!"

Fif tears into her present from Uno before Siete even finishes speaking, allowing Six to delay opening his present to watch Siete open his.

Siete catches his eye. "You wanna see my reaction?"

"Hurry up." Six thinks his frown has lost its edge this holiday season, because Siete laughs, as he always does—but that's never changed between them.

"Alright, alright," Siete says. He opens the package and grins, turning back. "I was wondering where this went! You went through my laundry and stole something to give it to me as a present, knowing I would be in need of it? Smart, smart."

Six doesn't bother responding. Knowing he won't get a reaction, Siete smiles to himself and moves on, holding Six's present up.

The smirk on his face freezes as he realizes, in an instant, what Six has done.

Everyone in the room pauses too, looking at him with knowing smiles. Even Sarasa slows down devouring her present before she laughs out loud at the look on Siete's face, crumbs and spit flying everywhere.

Not only is Siete's expression frozen, but his entire body is. The only thing moving are his eyes, wide as they scan the messages that the Eternals wrote on the inside of the cape Six filched from his room. They're short, silly messages, but each one is handwritten and personal from each of them.

The Eternals have gotten closer this year, Siete included—but they've never taken the time to let Siete know, even after all of their years of ignoring him or good-natured ribbing piling up. The skies never stop billowing around them, and although they spend more time together between missions than before, it's a rare occasion that all ten of them can sit down together, for something casual and friendly like this.

After a few moments of silence, Song tests the silence. "Siete?"

He opens his mouth to answer, but all that comes out is a choked noise. Six feels all eyes on him when he stands up to take the cape from him. Siete's stares, still frozen in shock, as Six puts it around his shoulders. "Gift-giving is not a strength of mine," he mumbles. "You are correct in that I had to steal from you in order to give you a present."

He hides his face from everyone's gaze as he sits back down beside Siete. He puts his chin in his hand, moving up to cover his mouth, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Say something," he muffles into his palm.

"Thank—" Siete coughs, trying and failing to hide his tears.

Dread floods Six's body, forcing him to straighten up. Panicked, he stutters, "You're not supposed to cry," to which Fif laughs.

"He's just happy! Siete, are you happy?" she asks, leaning over to look at Siete's reaction. Siete nods, hands starting to lower the cape to face everyone. Instead of letting Siete say anything, she barrels on. "Okay, open my present now, Six!"

Her enthusiasm is the cue for the others to turn their attention back to own their presents, leaving Siete to wipe his tears and sniffle quietly. Six is the last to look away, and as he turns to the one in his lap from Fif, he says to Siete, "I hope it was satisfactory."

"I need a moment," Siete says as a response, his words strangled. When he speaks next, he keeps his voice low, between the two of them. "I didn't expect much from _anyone_ , but this..."

Six interrupts. "Don't you always have high expectations of the Eternals? This should be no different."

"Yeah. Yeah, maybe you're right." Siete takes a deep breath and looks out to the rest of the room, full of the Eternals sharing in the holiday cheer, the cape warm around his shoulders.

* * *

Later that night, as Six is preparing for bed, he gets a knock on his door. He opens it to Siete, still wearing the cape, but much more composed. "Six, I need to ask you about something."

Gritting his teeth in expectation, Six steps aside and closes the door behind them.

"I was caught in the moment, but I didn't realize until we were cleaning up that you wrote me a letter with your package." Siete's mischievous smile has made a home on his lips again after being chased away by his earlier vulnerability. He holds up an envelope addressed to him with its seal broken.

Six's voice drips with regret. "I did."

He intended for Siete to find that letter first, but because of the nondescript packaging, he had opened it upside down. It's on the same paper with the same ink that Six uses for the rare, official Eternals correspondences, that reads:

_Siete._

_For the holiday season, your additional present will be me._

He couldn't bring himself to elaborate or to even finish the message once he'd gotten all of the Eternals to sign the cape, hoping his intent would be sufficient.

"That's pretty forward of you," Siete says with a cheeky grin, "but I'm gonna assume, from the kindness of my heart, that you had something else in mind than what I'm thinking."

Six considers asking what it is that Siete had in mind before he raises his head and sees that _look_ on his face again—the one he's had all day, the one he's had since Mask Bleu Clair, since Six's run in with the Ruin Fist.

He decides against it. "For one day—and _only_ one day, you will be privilege to my company for any activities of your choice within reason, without complaint." Six's voice grows more strangled as he continues speaking, his throat trying to save him from the inevitable humiliation. "If only to stop your complaints about being lonely and that no one has time for you."

He regrets the decision to include that letter, but not for the reason he originally thought. He expects a laugh in his face, another joke, Siete feeling mock offended at a gesture that reads like pity. What he gets instead is Siete's smile, bashful. "That would be nice," he says with no mockery or sarcasm, lowering his voice with a glance at the hallway. "Then, are you free Christmas day? I know most of the Eternals are elsewhere, but I've still got nowhere to go."

This was a bad idea—Siete's taking it seriously. His request is a genuine search for company. If Siete laughed in his face, he could have been relieved from the decision he'd made, and he could take it as a chapter of his life that he could close and move on from. Instead, Siete takes him up on his offer, and Six finds that he doesn't hate Siete as long as he's like this, cheery but muted, humbled with attention.

"If you so choose," Six says. The blinding smile he receives in return puts a pin down in the mystery of Siete's smiles toward him, in the mystery of his own errant heartbeat.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from _The Christmas Song_.


End file.
